Major Battles in WWII: European and Pacific Theatres

1. Objective: To examine the major battles in the European and Pacific Theatres of WWII

2. Hitler ordered a program of rearming Germany Hitler visits a factory and is enthusiastically greeted. Many Germans were grateful for jobs after the misery of he depression years.

3. March 1936: German troops marched into the Rhineland The Rhineland was a region of Germany that was ‘demilitarised’ after the Treaty of Versailles. Germany was not allowed to have troops in the region. Hitler’s actions showed how he was willing to directly challenge the treaty.

4. March 1938: Nazi Germany annexed Austria Again, this went against the terms of the Treaty of Versailles which banned Germany from uniting with Austria. However, the arrival of German troops was met with great enthusiasm by many Austrian people.

5. March 1939: Germany invaded Czechoslovakia Hitler had ordered the occupation of a part of Czechoslovakia known as the Sudetenland (in October 1938). Many hoped that that this would be the last conquest of the Nazis. However, in March 1939, he ordered his troops to take over the remainder of Czechoslovakia. This was the first aggressive step that suggested that a war in Europe would soon begin.

6. August 1939: Germany and Russia signed a non-aggression pact Hitler and Stalin (the Russian leader) signed a ‘non-aggression pact’. They promised that neither country would attack the other in the event of war. As part of the deal, Hitler promised Stalin part of Poland, which he planned to invade soon. This photo shows the Russian foreign minister signing the pact, whilst Stalin stands smiling in the background

7. September 1939: Germany invaded Poland But, the pact allowed Germany to march into Poland without fear of an attack from Russia. On 3rd September 1939, Germany invaded Poland and started a War with Britain and France. German troops marching into Warsaw, the capital of Poland.

8. The Invasion of Poland • Date: 9/1939 • Purpose: Take over Europe and Poland • Key People (Countries): Germany/ Poland/France/Britain • Outcome: Hitler won. Brought Britain and France into WWII

9. May 1940: Germany turned west and invaded France and the Netherlands In May 1940, Germany used Blitzkrieg tactics to attack France and the Netherlands. British troops were forced to retreat from the beaches of Dunkirk in northern France. Captured British troops, May 1940

10. Date: 6/1995 – OMG!!! Mrs. Reed has conquered Paris! The Fall of France Double OMG! Mrs. Blair was there too!

11. Date: 6/1940 • Purpose: Conquer France and W.Europe • Key People (Countries): Germany and Italy vs. France/Britain • Outcome: Hitler won. Britain now stood alone as the last remaining enemy of Hitler’s Germany in Western Europe. The Fall of France

12. September 1940-May 1941: the Blitz during the Battle of Britain For the following nine months, the German air force (Luftwaffe) launched repeated bombing raids on British towns and cities. This was known as the BLITZ and was an attempt to bomb Britain into submission.

13. Date: 9/1940 • Purpose: Destroy British air power and air industry- use blitzkrieg • Key People (Countries): Germany vs. Britain • Outcome: Britain won. Avoided takeover of Britain by Germany The Battle of Britain

14. Operation Barbarossa, June 1941 But in May, 1941, Hitler ordered a change of tactics. He decided to halt the bombing of Britain and launch an attack against Russia. He betrayed Stalin and ignored the promises he had made. This was a bold move that would prove to be an important turning point in the War.

15. Invasion of the Soviet Union“OperationBarbarossa” • Date: 6/1941 • Purpose: Germany wanted more land/resources • Key People (Countries): Germany vs. Soviet Union • Outcome: Soviet Union won. Harsh winters and scorched-earth used by Russians. End of non-aggression pact b/w Stalin and Hitler.

16. A Time of Peril Germany: · Germany had conquered most of Europe and invaded the Soviet Union in 1941. · The Soviets retreated as the Germans advanced on Moscow, burning crops and farm equipment as they went in order to keep them out of German hands.

17. Help!! Attack the Nazis on the Western Front, quick! Opening a Second Front • In order to ease pressure on the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin asked the Allies to open a second front by crossing the English Channel and attacking the Germans in France.

18. Pearl Harbor • Date: 12/7/1941 • Purpose: Destroy US military power/fleet • Key People (Countries): Japan (Hideki Tojo) vs. US • Outcome: Bring the US into WWII

19. Pearl HarborClick Picture for video

20. Japan: • After attacking Pearl Harbor, the Japanese seized Guam, Wake Island, Hong Kong, Malaya, Burma and the Dutch East Indies. • The Japanese also defeated American and Filipino forces, led by U.S. General Douglas MacArthur, in the Philippines.

21. Alright, but you’d better appreciate this! • The planned invasion of Europe was called Operation Overlord, and General Eisenhower was named commander of the Allied forces in Europe.

22. Eisenhower had to organize the eventual invasion of Normandy France, known as Operation Overlord (D-Day), which involved over 3 million Allied forces. General Eisenhower gives the order of the day "Full victory - Nothing else" to paratroopers in England just before they board airplanes in the first D-Day assault.

23. D-Day: Allied Invasion of Normandy or Operation Overlord • 21 mins movie • Date: 6/6/1944 • Purpose: Invade France to push Germany back across Europe • Key People (Countries): Dwight D. Eisenhower US/British/Canadian troops • Outcome: Allies win and move through France towards Germany. Begins decline of German power.

24. Hiroshima and Nagaski Date: 8/1945 Purpose: To force a Japanese surrender through use of nuclear power Key People (Countries): US President Truman US and Japan Outcome: Japan surrenders, WWII ends

25. U.S. troops surrender to the Japanese in the Philippine Islands, May 6, 1942. A total of 11,500 Americans and Filipinos became POWs.

26. Yalta Conference Date: 2/1945 Purpose: Major leaders must decide what to do w/Europe after WWII Key People (Countries): Roosevelt- US Stalin- Soviet Union Churchill- Britain Outcome: Marshall Plan is established, US to help Japan and West Germany

27. The Tide Turns • The Allies enjoyed victories in the Pacific, North Africa, Italy and Russia. • In Italy, Mussolini had been overthrown and the new government joined the Allies. April 28, 1945 Mussolini and 15 other fascist leaders are executed and hanged at an Esso gas station in the Piazzale Loreto in Milan.

28. Nuremberg Trials Date: 11/1945 Purpose: Bring Nazi leaders to justice Key People (Countries): Nazi leaders US, Britain, Soviet Union Outcome: Many key Nazi leaders are punished, many key figures committed suicide

29. World War II: Major Battles (1942 – 1944) When? – June 1942 Where? – Midway Island (Pacific Islands) Results? - The U.S. sank four Japanese aircraft carriers. Importance? – It limited Japan's ability to attack Hawaii again or other Allied positions. Battle of Midway Island:

30. Campaign for Guadalcanal: • When? – August 1942 • Where? Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands (Pacific Islands) • Results? – The U.S. defeated the Japanese, gaining control of the island. • Importance? – Guadalcanal became a military base from which to counterattack the Japanese.

31. Soldiers take a breather after making camp. The 25th Infantry Division was a large part of the effort to force the Japanese off Guadalcanal.

32. Battle of El Alamein: • When? – October 1942 • Where? - El Alamein, Egypt • Results? – British and U.S. forces drove the German army, led by General Rommel, from Egypt west into Tunisia. • Importance? – U.S. Gen. Eisenhower led the Allies in an invasion of Tunisia, from Algeria, forcing Rommel to surrender in May of 1943.

33. Australian soldiers at the Battle of El Alamein

34. D-Day The Storming of Normandy • When? – June 6, 1944 • Where? – Normandy, France • Results? – A fleet of 4,000 ships carried Allied troops to Normandy in order to invade France in an attempt to defeat the Germans. • Importance? – On August 25, 1944, Allied forces liberated Paris from Nazi rule.

35. American soldiers wading through water into Nazi machine-gun fire on the coast of France.

36. At Utah Beach, members of an American landing party help others whose landing craft was sunk by the Germans off the coast of France. The survivors reached Utah Beach, near Cherbourg, by using a life raft.

37. Crossed rifles in the sand placed as a tribute to this fallen soldier.

38. Medics help an injured American soldier.

39. American assault troops of the 16th Infantry Regiment, injured while storming Omaha Beach, wait by the Chalk Cliffs for evacuation to a field hospital for further medical treatment. Collville-sur-Mer, Normandy.

40. Battle of the Bulge: • When? – December 16, 1944 • Where? – border areas near Luxembourg, France and Germany • Results? – The Germans began a counterattack against the Allies as the Allies attempted to drive the Germans completely out of France. • Importance? – This battle showed the desperation of the German forces. While the Germans were able to slow down the Allied advance, they could not stop it completely.